1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method of generating an audio frequency call sound in a telephone and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method of generating a voice message when there is an incoming call in the telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the technology of communications is being developed, machineries for communication tend to be personalized and customized. This has led to various ways of generating a call sound in a telephone used at home or office. In a telephone according to a contemporary practice, a ringing sound is generated by the telephone after a ringing signal is detected from an exchange system. A user recognizes that there is an incoming call from an exchange system after hearing a ringing sound that is sent out through a speaker, and picks up a handset to converse with the caller.
Among the exemplars of the related arts are Lewis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,777, Caller ID And Call Waiting For Multiple CPEs On A Single Telephone Line, Nov. 12, 1996) discussing a system for allowing a plurality of customer premise equipments on a single telephone line to display a third party's caller information while users are communicating with a second party. Draganoff (U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,988, Telephone Dialler With A Personalized Page Organization Of Telephone Directory Memory, Jul. 30, 1996) discusses a telephone dialer with a personalized page organization of telephone directory memory. The system simplifies the use of the telephone directory by using a single sliding or rotary key for scanning and selection of the name and number to be dialed and one button for speed dialing of the selected number. Robinson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,102, Telephone Auto Attendant System For Delivering Chosen Greetings To Callers While On The Phone, Jul. 2, 1996) discusses a method and apparatus for providing a telephone user with a caller ID. The call by the caller causes information concerning the caller to be transferred over a communication channel, separate from the one used by the telephone user, connected to a PC located near the telephone user. Luneau (U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,406, Calling Party Announcement Apparatus, Jun. 11, 1996) discusses a calling party announcement apparatus that provides the identify of the caller in synthesized human speech after the called party has answered the telephone call. The invention captures the incoming caller line identification signal while the telephone is ringing. Klausner et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,140, Telephone Answering Device Linking Displayed Data With Recorded Audio Message, Jun. 4, 1996) discusses a telephone answering device including a means of intelligently organizing voice messages, associated entered codes such as personal IDs and home telephone numbers, and information stored in the memory of the TAD. Ohashi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,595, Voice Tag In A Telephone Auto-Dialer, Jan. 2, 1996) discusses a portable telephone comprising a data memory having a plurality of data storage locations for storing telephone numbers used to initiate telephone calls as an auto-dialer function. An auto memory is also discussed which comprises a plurality of audio storage location, each of which may be linked to one of the data storage locations. Nixon et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,743, System And Method For Processing Telephone Numbers, Dec. 12, 1996)discusses a system and method using canonical telephone numbers which allows automatic calling with any location in the world independent of the caller's location. The caller canonical telephone number and a plurality of caller prefixes are stored within the system. A telephone directory stores aplurality of callee canonical telephone numbers for locations throughout the world. Vanden Heuvel et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,422, Method And Apparatus For Quick Access To Selected Updated Information In A Selected Call Receiver, Jun. 20, 1996) discusses a method and apparatus for quick access to selected updated information in a selective call receiver. A memory stores the personal messages in a first portion and the database messages as a plurality of screens in a second portion 48. A screen displays the plurality of screens for the user's perusal.